Cigarette lighter



CIGARETTE LIGHTER Filed July 25. 1931 Ge r0 w,

' 25 cigarette,

Patented Aug. 30, 1932 (UNITED STATES PATENT cam WILLIAM H. GEROU, OI PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO SE13! LIGHTING I CIGARETTE CQBPOBATION OF AMERICA, A CORPORATION 01 DELAWARE A CIGARETTE LIGHTER Application filed July 28,

This invention pertains to cigarette lighters of that class in which the llghter is car ried on the lighting end of the cigarette, such asis generally known as self-lightin ci a rettes, and the'invention is equally applica le to cigars.

The main obj ect of the invention is to provide simple, economical, practical and thoroughly efiicient means attached to the end of a cigarette, "said means consisting of a coating of pyropho'ric material on the outside of the' lighting end of the cigarette, and a sleeve so disposed around said end that when'it is slid off the end of the cigarette, the

igniting material on the inside of the sleeve comes into close frictional contact with the pyrophoric material on the outside of the cigarette, thereby causing same to ignite and light the cigarette.

:0 ,Another object of the invention is to so dispose my improved lighting means with relation to the cigarette that it prevents the li hting material from contacting with the to%iacco or extending into the body of the and at the same time prevents any premature or accidental light of the cigarette.

Further objects of the invention are to so A construct the novel lighting means that the sleeve carrying the igniting material must :0 be intentionally forced off the cigarette by 7 being pulled therefrom to light the cigarette thatit is definitely held in a position where it cannot ignite until it is forcibly pulled ofi the end of the device, and that it is easy to manufacture by machine, and can be attached to the cigarette without being touched by hand.

The foregoing and such other objects as may appear from the ensuing description are accomplished by the construction, arrangement, location and combination of the several parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and

more particularly pointed out in the claims a pended hereto, it being understood that s ight changes in the precise shape, proportions and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

1931, Serial No. 552,787.

In the accompanying'drawing forming a part of this specification it will be seen that: Figure l is a perspective of a cigarette showing the novel lighting means embody- 1n my invention.

igure 2 is an enlarged view showing in part anelevation of a cigarette broken away, and showing the upper end portion and lightm means in cross-section.

iigure 3-is an enlarged view showing a cigarette broken awa in elevation and the top portion of the cigarette in with the lighting means surroun per or lighting end, and

' Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective showmg the igniting sleeve detached from the cigarette.

In the embodiment of myinvention as illustrated it will be seen that the numeral 2 designates a cigarette of theusual or well known formation, said cigarette being coated on the outside of its lighting end with a suitable pyrophoric material 3, preferably such as is used in safety match heads, while 4 indicates a detachable sleeve preferably made of thin cardboard or other suitable flexible material which is fitted snugly over the outside of the lighting end of the cigarette and surrounding the pyrophoric material, and below said material the said sleeve is slightly reduced in its diameter at 5 to its lower end portion, the inner face of the lower end portion being provided with a suitable coatin of igniting substance 6, such as is usually use on the side of a safety match box.

It will be perceived that since the end of the cigarette is coated on the outside with 'pyrophoric material, the sleeve 4 is so arranged that when it is slid off the end of the cigarette, the igniting substance 6 on the inside of the sleeve comes into close frictional contact with the pyrophoric material, thereby causing same to ignite and light the cigarette, the sleeve being formed of flexible material so that it. may be slightly'compressed by squeezing with the fingers of the smoker (perspective mg its upa as it is withdrawn over the pyrophoric material, thus allowing the smoker to increase the pressure and friction as the sleeve is slid off the cigarette,

thereby regulating the pres- 10 sure to whatever degree may be necessary or desired as the igniting and pyrophoric materials come into frictional contact.

In order to prevent these surfaces from comingl into contact before it is desired to light t e cigarette the sleeve is so constructed that it fits around the body of the cigarette tightly enough to prevent its slipping or sliding without pressure, since 7 by simply making'the sleeve fit tightly, and by having a slightly reduced diameterabout midway of the sleeve it serves to grip the cigarette tight enough to prevent the sleeve being slid without force, and thus holds the ignitin material away from the pyrophoric. materia until the sleeve is intentionally pulled or slid off the cigarette.

The diameter of the sleeve 4' at thepoint where it is coated with the igniting material is made smaller than the diameter of the cigarette at the point where it carries the pyrophoric materiah'hence, as the sleeve is I pulled or forced off the cigarette the igniting the eend of the cigarette.

and the pyrophoric materials are" sure to come into tight frictional contact even though there were no ressure ut on the sleeve by the smokers nger, an the cigarette being of a soft, springy nature it naturally compresses enough to permit the smaller diameter of the sleeve, atthe point where the ignitin material iscarried, to pass over the larger iameter of the pyrophoric material carried by the cigarette. The said sleeve 4 may also carry the directions, name or any other advertising matter of themaker, and may be provided on its outerface with circular grooves or any suitable formation ofroughness that would serve to prevent its slippilng from the fingers of the smoker when u l a I p It will be readily obvious thatby the construction and arrangement of my improved lighter it is definitely held ina ition where it cannot ignite until it is forcibly pulled oil While my invention is shown and preferably made with sli htly reduced diameter between the two en of the slidable sleeve, it will nevertheless work perfectly if made in .cylindrical form of one diameter throughout or in almost an other form that enables the sleeve to fit t e body of the cigarette sufliciently tight to prevent it being slid unintentionally, yet retains the essential feature of holding the igniting materialcarried by the sleeveand the yrophoric material cartied b the end of t e cigarette spaced apart until e sleeve is forcibly pulled.

Having thus described my :i-n'yention what Iclaim and desire to secure b g tters Patout is: o

carrying a 1. A self lighting cigarette yrophoric material on its end, and a flex- 1bl6 open ended sleeve carryin igniting material, with means for holding these two outside surface igniting material for the p as of igniting the cigarette when .the save is intentionally ulled therefrom.

3. A se f-lighting ci rette a circular band of pyrop oric material on its at the endhgregfgufl ing sleeve open at each end carrying 'a circu at band of igniting material on its inside surface at the lower end portion of said slegve furthest from the pyrophoric matena I 4. A self-lighting cigaretteca pyrophoric material around its outer su aoeat one end and a flexible sleeve open at each end carrying igniting material atits lower end portion adapted to slide over and make frictional contact with the pyrophoricmaterial when the sleeve is intentionally pulled from the cigarette,said sleeve being suficiently flexible to allow the pressure of. the smokers finger to compress the sleeve as it is withdrawn, thereby increasing the pressure of the igniting'and pyrop ric materials as thesleeve ispulled. a I a I). A self-lighting ci arette carrying a circular band .of pyropg outside at the end thereof, and a sliding sleeve ofpenat each end carrying a circular band 0 igniting material on its insido at the lower end portion of the sleeve furthest away from the pyrophoric material means forholding the igniting-material and pyrophoric material apart from each other until the sleeve is intentionally pulled over the end of the cigarette.

6. A self-lighting cilga cular band of pyrop oric material on its outside at the end thereof, and a sliding sleeve embracing the li hting end of the cigarette carrying a circ ar band of material on its inside at the lower e 15 portion of the sleeve furthest away from pyrophoric material with means for holding the igniting material and the pyrophoric material apart from each other until the sleeve is intentionally pulled over-the end of the cigarette, said sleeve being flexible so that it maybe compressed by the ressure of the fingers as the sleeve is pull 7. A self-lighting cigarette, comprising a coating of 'pyrophoric material on its outside at one end, and a slidable open ended sleeve surroundin said material, said sleeve having a band 0 igniting materialformod on its inner face atv its lower end portion disposed a suitable distance from the pyrophogic material to prevent contact until dosire I 8. A self-lighting cigarette of the character describe comprising a circular band oric material on its rette carrying a cirnouns offyrophoric material on its outside at the en thereof, and a slidable sleeve embracin said material, said sleeve being formed wi a reduced diameter below the material and with a band of igniting material on its inner face at its lower end portion for maintainmg the said materials at a suitable distance apart. v

9. A self-lighting cigarette, comprising a ring of pyrophoric material formed on its outside, and a slidable sleeve embracing said material formed with a reduced diameter at its lower end, and a coatin of ignitin material formed on its inner ace at said ower f endwhereby the said materials are maintained at a suitable distance apart.

10. A self-lighting cigarette, comprising a coating of .pyrophoric material disposed around the outer surface of the cigarette and a slidable' sleeve disposed around said material, said sleeve being formed with means disposed below the pyrophoric-material to prevent its accidental sliding and with a coating of igniting material on its inner face at its lower end portion whereby the said materials are separated at a suitable distance apart. a

11. A self-lighting cigarette of the character described phoric material formed around the outside of the cigarette, and a slidable sleeve open at each end surrounding said material, said sleeve being formed with a reduced diameter extending from the material to its lower end, and with a band of igniting material on its inner face at its lower end adapted to carried on its outside at one end of the ciga-.

rette, said movable sleeve carrying igniting material, and means for holding the pyrophoric and igniting materials apart until the cigarette is to be lit.

' WILLIAM H. GEROU.

comprising a band of pyro- 

